The disclosure relates generally to network communication and, more particularly, to using out of band communications to enhance femtocell operations, such as to increase granularity of information and functionality within a femtocell coverage area.
Information communication provided by various forms of networks is in wide use in the world today. Networks having multiple nodes in communication using wireless and wireline links are used, for example, to carry voice and/or data. The nodes of such networks may be computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), phones, servers, routers, switches, multiplexers, modems, radios, access points, base stations, etc. Many client device nodes (also referred to as user equipment (UE) or access terminals (ATs)), such as cellular phones, PDAs, laptop computers, etc. are mobile and thus may connect with a network through a number of different interfaces.
Mobile client devices may connect with a network wirelessly via a nearest base station, access point, wireless router, etc. (collectively referred to herein as access points). A mobile client device may remain within the service area of such an access point for a relatively long period of time (referred to as being “camped on” the access point) or may travel relatively rapidly through access point service areas, with cellular handoff or reselection techniques being used for maintaining a communication session or for idle mode operation as association with access points is changed.
Issues with respect to available spectrum, bandwidth, capacity, etc. may result in a network interface being unavailable or inadequate between a particular client device and access point. Moreover, issues with respect to wireless signal propagation, such as shadowing, multipath fading, interference, etc., may result in a network interface being unavailable or inadequate between a particular client device and access point. Cellular networks have employed the use of various cell types, such as macrocells, microcells, picocells, and femtocells, to provide desired bandwidth, capacity, and wireless communication coverage within service areas. For example, the use of femtocells is often desirable to provide wireless communication in areas of poor network coverage (e.g., inside of buildings), to provide increased network capacity, to utilize broadband network capacity for backhaul, etc.
Mobile client devices generally operate using an internal power supply, such as a small battery, to facilitate their highly mobile operation. Typical operation to provide femtocell system selection, however, has an appreciable impact upon the power utilized by a mobile client device. Searching for available femtocells within range, negotiating links, etc. in typical use scenarios will often result in a reduction of the mobile client device standby time operation available from the internal power supply by approximately 10%. For example, an internal power supply may be appreciably drained as a result of a mobile client device continuing to search for femtocells whether or not appropriate femtocells are in range of the mobile client device.